Rover SD1

Remember these Big Monsters? The Rover SD1 was my favourite car in the early 80's. I drove my Dad mad trying to convince him to get one!

The Rover SD1 was a very thirsty car though and came in the (underpowered) 2000cc, 2300cc, 2600cc and versions. Of course the bestwas the 3500cc V8. It's very, very rare to see them now but when I do I still love them!

Oh yeah, And I towed 3 bikes on a trailer to Ireland then broke down on the M4 in Wales at night when the alternator blew. I had NO breakdown cover at all! My brother had to borrow a friends truck and trailer to get me and my trailer home. I sold the engine to a friend for his jacked-up Hi-lux monster truck! Kids these days don't know they're born!!

Best thing was the v8-the rest was rubbish really. Styled on the Ferrari Daytona! I bought one from a friend for £50.! It was 'mustard'yellow! We hand painted it matte black with a dead chicken of a paintbrush after repairing the holes with badly mixed filler which never set so it stank! We also picked out some parts in red for effect. I put bigger tyres on the back from a jag and smoked around like a Mad Max extra. It leaked every possible fluid and some not so possible! I was constantly being stopped by the police, no idea why! Once was when I was parked with two wheels on the pavement outside Tower Records, Picadilly! ;-)

I've owned two of these lovely cars, a 3500, 1986, Vanden Plas and a 2600 SE, 1983, and I'm a member of the SD1 club which is one of the most thriving of the classic car clubs. There are still loads of these cars out there and had a production run from 1976-1987.